If you are in need of support click here to download a copy of the St. Vincent de Paul leaflet. Copies are also available in St. Michael's Parish Office.

A message from John - a volunteer member of St. Vincent de Paul, Gorey

Hello everyone,

My name is John, and I am a volunteer Member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul here in Gorey. I will be telling you a little bit about our work, and inviting you to consider joining the Society of St Vincent de Paul. First of all, I would like to thank Fr. Billy Flynn for celebrating this Mass for the volunteers and supporters of our local St Vincent de Paul Conference and for his and Fr Roger O’Neill’s continuing and unwavering support.

The Society’s connection to the church is very important to us. As a lay organisation, it informs our ethos and gives us a way to live out our Christian values in a quiet, discreet and confidential way. The Society of St Vincent de Paul work in parish groups, called Conferences. Now that we can meet in person again, we are endeavouring to: return to our core work of home visitations, giving of our time in the Vincent’s shops and to continue with fund raising. Volunteering with St Vincent de Paul involves working with and supporting the largest charitable organisation in Ireland. Training will be provided and the time commitment, while variable, is usually 3-5 hours per week. The characteristics required of our volunteers include kindness, compassion, discretion, respect and being non-judgemental.

Here in Gorey, we are based in St Joseph’s, that is the red building across the road from the Church gates.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul in Gorey is divided into three areas of work;
1. The visitation conference who work with people who need help and assistance,
2. The Vincent’s Clothes and Furniture shops which are staffed, mainly by volunteers, who give freely of their time. and
3. A social housing section which provides housing for approx. 20 elderly people.

Volunteers are the Society’s greatest strength.

The volunteers of the visitation conference get to visit families in their homes and can address immediate needs as well as helping people move towards self- sufficiency and opportunity through friendship and support. This is what we call Home Visitation. In our experience offering help at the right time can give people hope for the future.  Volunteers sharing their time and skills can change lives for the better.

Our Vincent’s Clothes and Furniture shops in Gorey are located on St Michael’s Road /St Michael’s Place and Mc Dermott St. The volunteers carry out general shop duties and ensure customers are served efficiently. For the Social Housing section volunteers who are experienced and have knowledge in the areas of Architecture, Engineering, Surveying, Health & Safety, Social Work and Social Care etc. are most welcome. We thank all our employees, volunteers and supporters both past and present for all their time, hard work and dedication. We thank you all for your generosity and support to the St Vincent de Paul over the years and into the future – without it we cannot provide the necessary help and assistance to those who need it.

To conclude, I’d like to share a quote from someone was recently supported through a difficult time. It highlights the impact of our work and the difference we, as ordinary parishioners, can make.

The Quote is –
“It took me a long time to pick up the phone, but eventually I just had to ring the
St. Vincent de Paul. When they came around to the house I was nervous, but they
put me at ease. They said they could help with my bills, and they said with first
communions coming up that the Vincent’s shop might be a good place to get the
first communion dress.
I used to think nobody cared. Long days turning into longer nights – dreading the
postman who only brings bad news. Cupboards and drawers full of unopened
letters with demands for this bill and that bill. The St Vincent de Paul volunteers
listened and gave us hope. With their help in giving us a hand up, we might just
make it.”

I hope you feel a bit more aware of the work of the St Vincent de Paul here in Gorey and the impact it can have. Now you might consider applying to become a volunteer Member of the society. If you do, you will be offered specialised and safeguarding training in your area of interest. The process is quite simple, and you can apply online on www.svp.ie or have a chat with one of our members who are available at the back of the church at the end of Mass or indeed take our leaflet
“Volunteer with SVP and make a difference”. Finally, can I thank you all for your time.

Thank you very much.

A volunteer.